Marking stakes are in common use today by utility companies, and those working with and around underground utility lines, to not only designate the presence and location of a utility line, but also to warn operators of excavating and earth moving equipment of the presence of such lines to prevent disruption of service to utility customers. The stakes that are in most widespread use today are wooden elements that are cut so as to have a pointed leading end for penetrating the ground. While such stakes have generally served their purpose, they have a number of drawbacks and inherent deficiencies. In this regard, typical stakes are often somewhat difficult to drive into the ground, with the result that the stakes ultimately become damaged by repeated striking with a hammer or the like. In addition to having a relatively short useful life for the aforementioned reason, once such stakes have been driven into the ground, they exhibit instability and are susceptible to ready loosening and dislodgement. For these reasons, there has been a longstanding need for an improved stake of the type described which would perform the desired function, and which is susceptible in inexpensive manufacture process.
A wide variety of different types of stakes have been proposed in the past, but such stakes have not met with commercial success for one reason or another. Examples of such stakes are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 218,582; 1,345,111; 1,902,875; 2,154,966; 2,773,470, 3,205,626; 3,507,081; 3,754,360; and 3,788,336; and in German Patent No. 1,303,828 and German application 24 20 501 published June 11, 1975.